Electromagnetic valve-actuating device



c. H. HODGKINS ELECTROMAGNETIC VALVE ACTUATING DEVICE Aug. 23, 1932.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1929 INVENTOR C/mr/es hf l-ladym'na.

ATTdRNEY Aug. 23, 1932. c. H. HQDGKINS 1,373,405

ELECTROMAGNETIC VALVE ACTUATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 20. 1929 2 Sheets-Sfieet 2 (fiar/es 1% Had mm.

' ATTORNEY I 1 easily and quickly mount Patented Aug. 23, 1 932 :cnhnmas a. Ironems, or rrr'r'saunen,

novel nmc'rnrc a murac'runme venue PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- comrm, a cotaromrron or rannsm I moraomenarrc vatvasacrua'rmc Dav-E applicatida flnll'lugust 20, 1929. ,sma at. 387,253.

M invention relates to electromagnets and particularly to electromagnets for actuating valves. r

An object of my invention is to provide a I relatively compact simple 'and inexpensive electromagnetic actuating means for a valve.

Another' object of my invention is to pro-' vide an electromagnetic actuating means for a valve that may bebuilt as a unit and be on, and removed from, a valve. I

Another object of my invention is to provide an electromagnetic, valve-actuating structure that shall require a relatively small amount of electrical ener to operate the.

same from one position o the valve disc to another and that shall besubstantiallynoiseless in its ope'ratin movements.

Another object is to provide an electromagnetic valve-actuating device that shall be ener 'zed only during operation of the valve, t e device lockin the valve in either its open or its closed position. Another object of my-invention is to provide a substantially enclosed structure that shall be self contained. In practicing my invention, I provide a spacer, which may be mounted on a valve bod by a clamp nut, a base platesecured against the outer surface of the spacer, the

base plate having two spaced parallel-extending ribs on its outer sur ace, a pair of ma etcoil-receiving magnetic members each 0 cup shape and having a (peripheral dange at the open end thereof, an side lates having lugs integral therewith, the si e plates beingsecured against'the outer face of the respective eripheral flan es. A magnet coil and a the ma etic members of cup shape, as well as resil ent washers and magnetic pole pieces.

- armature core structure 1s movable within the 'in'agnet coils and, more particular- 1y, within the tubular guide. members. A 4 toggle is rovided, the mid point of which is operative y connected'to the movablecore structure by a pivot pin. The ends of the links of the toggle are pivotally secured to links or arms having a pivotal mounting on the lugs of one of the side plates. One'of the pivotally'mounted-links is extended beyond its connection with the toggle and has a yielding connection with the other side plate.

7 n the drawings, I,

Figure 1 is a view, mainly in'section, of a device embodying my invention, the valve bein shown in its open position. 1

l ig. 2 is a view, in lateral section therethrough, taken on 1ine-II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view, mainly in section, showingrthe valve in its closed position,

ig. 4 is a view, in.perspective, of a mag-- netic casing and side plate, and

Fig. 5 is a view, in perspective, of a base plate.

p n magnetic actuating structure 11 is adapted to be operatively associated with a valve 12 which is shown in the drawings as a rightangle valveembodying the usual inlet and outlet parts and a suitable valve seat 13 there- A valve disc 14 of the usual kind is provided and, in order to make the employment of a stuifing box unnecessary, Ipre er to use as hon bellows 16 havin against a metal washer 17 This structure is adapted to provide-an air-tight assembly which makes the employment of a stufiing boxunnecessary and, therefore, aids in reducingthe amount of energy necessary to opcrate the valve disc. A valve stem 18 has a ball-and-socket connection with a lug 19 seshape, is provided, one end portion of which The device embodying my invention and more particularly, an electroone end there'- of suitably secured against t e valve disc 14, while the other end thereof issuitably secured .curedtothe valve disc inside of the sylphon i bellows 16. a

tubu ar guide mem er are located in each of A "spacer. 21, of, substantially circular A is fitted against the. washer member 17. A: circular clamping nut 22 fits over the body of the spacer 21 and engages a shoulder portion thereof and has a screw-threaded engagement 1 with the upper portion of the body of the, valve 12, in a manner well known in the art.;

An opening 23 is provided in the spacer to permit the valve stem 18 to extend therethrough. i

The member 21 is provided with a relativeion 1y large lateral opening 24 in its outer end v and an annular cover member 26 is provided which may turn peripherally thereon to permit of access to the opening 24 to permit of drawings," for receiving mounting screws.

The member 27 is provided with two spaced parallel extending ribs 29 and 31, each of which is provided with screw-threaded openings 32 located adjacent to the ends of the i ribs for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth, and an elongated'opening 33 isprovided in the plate 27 to permit a link member, to be tangular in shape and extendin hereinafterdescribed, to extend through the base plate.

Each of a pair of ma et-coil-receiving 'members 34, respectively 0 substantially cup shape and of magnetic material, is provided with an integral peripheral flange 36 adjacent to the 0 en end of the member of cup ange being substantially recat substantially ri ht-angles to the axis. 0 the member ofcup s a e. The flange 36 may, of course, be made of some other shape, particularly at shape, this I a the top portion thereof.

f as

A magnet coil 37 is located in each of the members 34 and is so designed as to'cooperatewith a supply circuit of suitable voltage, as

. *is well known in the art. The magnet coil may be covered by suitable electric insulating material 38, in a manner also well known in the art. Pole pieces 39 and 41 of magnetic material are located within themembe'rs 34 of cup-shape, being riveted to the wall of the enclosing member of cup-shape by ang'ntegral reduced portion 42. A tubular member 43,

made of magnetic material, is located within the left-hand member 34 and surrounds the polepiece 41, while a similar tubular member 44 is located within the right-hand member surrounding the pole'piece 39, this tubular member; being made of non-magnetic material. A relatively thick resilient washer.

I 46 is located in the'tubular member 43 against adjacent to the bottom so that the two' magnet. coil-receiving memthemember 41, and a resilient washer 47 is located in the tubular member 44 against the pole piece 39. Both of these-washers may be made ofthe leather or of. any other suitable resilient material. adaptedjto withstand the wear to which they will be subjected. Each of the members 34 is secured against the respective ribs '29 and 31 by a plurality of shortscrews 48 extendin through openings ge of the flange 36,

bersand the elements locatedtherein will be mounted on the base plate in opposed spaced names and coaxially aligned positions, substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

A side plate 51 of magnetic material, provided with a pair of laterally extending lugs 52 adjacent to its bottom edge and a pair of and are perforated ad acent to the outer ends to receive a pivot pin, as will hereinafter beset forth in detail. The plate 51 may be secured against the flange 36 by some suitable means, such as rivets 5 A similar side plate 56 is provided for the other member 34 of cup-shapeand this magnetic side plate is provided with a laterallyextending integral lug 57 having'an opening therethrough. It may be noted that the lugs 52 and 53, and, more articularly the openings at the ends thereo extend in a direction at right-angles to the lug 57 and the opening therein.

A magnet core structure includes a relatively short armature core 58 and 0. Ion er armature core member 59 which are rigidly connected to a non-magnetic bar 61, by rivets 62 extending through the two members. The

outer diameter of the members 58 and 59 is such that they fit relatively closely within the tubular members 43 and 44, so that a piston action of the respective members 58 and 59 in the tubular members 43 and 44 may be obtained in orderto slow down the-movement of the core member by dash-pot action, thereby reducing the impact and the noise when the core structure is reciprocally moved 7 to actuate the valve disc.

A toggle structure is provided and includes a pair 0 ends, by a pin 66 which extends also through the non-magnetic bar 61, spaced washers 67 bein provided between the bars 63 and the mem r 61. The upper ends of the bars 63 are pivotally connected to a pivotally mounted bar 68, intermediate its ends. One end of the bar 68 is pivotally mounted on a pin 69 Y which extendsthrough the openings in the spaced lugs 53. The other end of the bar 68' is provided with an opening 71 and this open ing is located immediately above the opening in the lug 57 of the side plate 56 hereinbefore spring73 located thereon, between a head on its lower end and the lug 57, extends through the opening 71, a cotter pin 74 and a washer 76 being provided thereon.

The lower ends of thebars '64 have'a pin upper bars or members 63 and a pair of lowerbars 64 which are pivotally connected to eachother, at their over-lapping '126 described. A pin 72, having a compression 77 extending therethrough and these'bars' or links are pivotally connected to a pivotally mounted link bar 78, the other end of which 18 pivotally mounted, by means of a pin 79,

openings 28 in the base on the lugs 520i the side plate 51. The pivotal connection between the links 63 and the bar 68 is effected by a pin 81 which is extended beyond the outside of the bars 63, and tension springs 82 and 83 connect the outer ends of the pins 77 and 81.

A valve link 86 has a slotted connection with the valve stem 18 at the upper end of the valve stem and a pivotal connection with the lower ends of the toggle bars. 64 by means of the pin 77.

The base plate 27 is secured against the outer surface of the spacer 21 by a plurality of short screws 87 extending through the late. A cover 88 is provided for the space 36 of the magnet-coil-receiving members 34 and may be held in proper operative position by screws 89 extending through the lower edge-portions thereof and into openings in lugs 91 and 92 on the base plate. The lug 92 is provided also with an-opening 93 to permit bringing out suitable electric conductors conbroken, the springs 73,82 and 83 assist'the nected to the respective magnet coils 37.

Fig. 1 of the'drawings shows the actuating structure in the position which the parts will occupy when the valve disc is out of enagement with the valve seat. The core memer 58 is in operative engagement with the resilientwasher 46 and the toggle is broken WVhen it is desired to close the valve, this may be eifected by momentarily energizing the right-hand magnet-coil 37 by any suitable means to actuate the core member 59, thus causing it and the elements operatively associated with it to move to the right.

' The toggle is thereby straightened, the arm .68 remaining initially substantially stationa and the pin 77 moves downwardly. where y the member 86, the valve stem 18 and the valve disc 14 will'be moved downwardly to close the valve. The engagement of the valve disc and the valve seat is effected just before the toggle arms are parallel to each other, the link or arm 68 moves upwardly to compress the spring 73. When the toggle-joint pin 66 has been moved to the right beyond a straight line connecting the centers of the pins 77 and 81, the toggle will be locked, and the valve will be maintained in its closed position, with a pressure determined by the excess pressure of spring 7 3 over the springs 82 and 83, as modified by the difierences in the length of the lever arms of these springs. The connecting member 61 is provided with a slot through which the pin 66 extends so that this pin may move downwardly as described.

. The tubular member 43, being made of magnetic material, will act u on core member 58 to aid in slowing down t e movement of the armature core structure when the same is moving'towards the left to 0 en the valve. It therefore acts as a brake, red ucing .the pull .ing of them etween the flangesand once the valve has been closed,

on core member 58 and reducing also the magent axial lengths in order to oo-operate with the other parts of the'actuating structure, it

being obvious that the movement of thelcore.

structure,- relativel to a line connecting the axes of the pins-7 and 81, will be greater when movin inthe direction to effect openrection to close the valve. is that part of the magnetic structure operative to efiect closure of the valve, and core 58 is that part of the magnetic structure operative to efiect-opening of the valve. \Vork is being done by the magnet over the entire length of travel of the movable parts during the closing movement, whereas, in the opening movement, the a magnet merely breaks the toggle. After the. toggle is ferences in the pulls but also to reduce the ve than when moving in the di Core member 59 etic slam and noise when stopping the 'movable structure.

The device embodying my inventien pro-" vides an electromagnetic actuating structure for a valve which may be easilyand quickly 7 assohiated with, and removed from, a. valve, both operations being effected in a minimum amount of time and with the use'of but one or two tools. No stufiing box is required, and only a momentary energization of the respective magnet coils is necessary to effect movement of the armature core structure and of the valve disc.

The device provides also a yielding and resilient abutment for the toggle constituting a part of the device. a Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by theprior art or are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a valve casing and a valve stem, ofa spacer having a shouldered end portion adapted to'fit against the valve casing, a clamping nut fitting over the shouldered spacer' and engaging the casing, a base late secured against the s acer, two PPQ and spaced .magnet-coi casings,

each having a bottom edge secured tofiarjside'l portion of the base plate, a ma et' boil in g in said magnet ends pivotally connected toithe of the toggle members,

valve embodying a valve casin able in sai a toggle having its the outer spring members 0 outer ends of sai each of said magnet-coil casings, 'armatures coils, and means operatively connecting the armatures and a valve stem, said means includinga toggle and a yielding abutment therefor.

2. The combination with a valve casing and a valve stem therein, of a base plate secured to said valve casing, a side plate secured to the base plate at one edge portion, a magnet-coil casing, a magnet coil therein, a movable core structure, a tog le connection between the valve stem and the movable core structure, and means for sup orting the magnet-coil casing andthe togg e on said 'side plate.

3. Electromagnetic actuating means for a and a valve stem, said actuating means inc uding a air of axially I aligned oppositelysexten ing members of cupshape, a coil in each of sai members of cup shape, tubular metal members within-the respective coils having a substantially air-tight connection 7 at one end thereof with the members of cup shape, a movable armature structure embodying coaxially ali ed spaced core members m'ov- *ing a substantially air-tight fit therein and a connection betweenthe valve stem and the movable armature structure including a resiliently and pivotally mounted toggle.

4. Electromagnetic actuating meansfor a valve embodying a valve casing and a valve stem, said actuating means including a pair of spaced coaxially-aligned armature cores movable in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the valve stem, mid-pivot point pivotally connected to the armature cores, pivotally mounted bars having their respective outer and a pair of coaxially aligned spaced magnet coils and cover members for said armature core s.

' 5. Electromagnetic actuating meansfor a coil-casings,

valve embodying a valve casing and a 'valve stem, said actuating means including a pair spaced coaxially aligned of symmetricall casings therefor, an arma-.

magnet coils an ture structure movable in said magnet coils in a direction at, right angles to. the move ment of the valve stem, said armature structure embodying two spaced coaxiallyaligned magnetic-core members of unequal lengths and a non-magnetic bar connecting the two, core members,a toggle having its -mid pivot point pivotally connected to the non-ma etic bar, a pivotally mounted link having its-outer end pivotally connected to ofthe toggle members, a second pivotally pivotal connection intermediate its ends with end of the other toggle member, eratively connected to the tubular metal members and hav-' the valve stem,

outer parts stanti'ally cup-shape,

toggle members, and an-,

other spring member operatively connected to'the outer end of the second link.

' 6. Actuating means for a valve having a casing and a valve stem, said means including a base plate secured to the casin and having two spaced ribs on its outer ace, a

airof magnetic magnet-coil-receivin members of cup shape each having a peripheral flange at the open end thereof secured to the respective ribs on the base plate to locate the members of cup shape'in spaced opposed c0- axially-aligned positions, closure plates for each of said members'of cup shape secured against the respective flanges and each having a lug ,on its outer face, links pivotally mounted on said lugs, a toggle having the outer ends of its arms pivota ly connected to the outer parts of the pivotally mounted links, magnet coils in said membersof cup shape, a core structure movable without said magnet coils and operatively connected to the mid point of the togglejoint and a link member connecting the valve stem and one of the outer ends of the toggle joint.

7. Actuating means for a valve having a-casing and a valve stem, eluding a pair of spaced coaxially aligned magnet coils, an armature core structure movable relatively to'the magnet coils in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of movement of the valvestem, a toggle having its mid pivot point loosely operatively connected to the armature core structure and havingone end operatively connected to bar pivotally mounted at a one of its ends and having a mid-point theresaid means in of constituting an abutment for theother end of the toggle, and a compression spring operatively associated with the other end 0 the pivotally mounted bar to maintain a predetermined pressure on when the valve is closed.

8. Actuating means for a valve having a casing and a valve stem, said means including a pair of coaxially aligned op each of substantia a pole piece in' each of said 'magnet coil casings, tubular members each having one end fitting over .a pole piece and coaxially aligned, magnet, coils in said magnet-coil casings around said tubular members, an armature core structure reciprocall tubular members, one 0nl of said'tubular members being of magnetic material, and a toggle operatively connecting the valve stem and'the armature core structure '9.- Actuating means for a valve embodythe valve stem ing a valve casing and a valve stem,-said actuating means including a casing of suba side-plate closing I ape andhaving a plurality of space'dlugs thereon, bars pivotally mounted at: one end of said lugs, apair of to gle arms pivotally connected to said bars, a for connecting the toggleto a valve the casing of cup-sh osed magnet-' ly cup shape,

movable in said garages stem, a coil and a core in the casing of cupshape and means opei-atively connecting the core to the toggle arms.

10. A device as set forth in claim 9 in which the outer ends of the toggle arms are connected by a tension spring.

11. A device as set forth in claim 9 in which one of said pivotally mounted bars is yieldingly held in a predetermined position.

12. A device as set forth in claim 9 in which one of said pivotally mounted bars extends beyond its point of connection with a toggle arm and the overhanging end thereof is yieldingly operatively engaged by a compression spring.

13. A device as set forth in claim f in which a side plate closes the open end of one of said cover members and has lugs thereon to which the inner ends of said bars are connected.

14. A device as set forth in claim 4 in which one of said pivotally mounted bars is operatively engaged by a compression spring to effecta predetermined pressure on a valve stem when the valve is closed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of August,

()I-LLRLES H. HUDGKTNS. 

